In U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,067 of Newman et al which issued on Dec. 26, 1978 there is disclosed an automatic machine for driving spikes through holes in rail tie plates into rail ties to secure rails to the ties. The spikes are fed automatically from a hopper, in which the spikes are randomly stored, to a spike gripping mechanism which holds the leading spike in position directly above a guide tube mounted on a vertically movable frame which also carries a hole sensing device for finding the tie plate holes and a setter and drive head for driving a spike retained in the setter through the sensed tie plate hole. When the vertically movable frame is moved to the "up" position, the spike gripping mechanism is deactivated to release the held spike which falls down the guide tube into the setter where it is retained until such time as the hole is sensed whereupon the drive head is actuated.
A problem associated with this automatic spike driving machine is that of ensuring the correct orientation of the spike heads. As those familiar with the art will appreciate, the head of a spike protrudes in one lateral direction more than any other so that a considerable lip is formed for engaging the rail flange and securing the rail when the spike has been driven into the tie. It is imperative, therefore, that this lip projects inwardly towards the rail as the spike is being held in the setter so that, when the drive head is operated, the underside of the lip will engage the rail flange as designed. Furthermore, the spike should be accurately oriented to prevent jamming in the guide tube.